How to restore WhatsApp chat history if you changed your phone without backing up?

How to restore WhatsApp chat history if you changed your phone without backing up - briefly?

If you have changed your phone and did not back up your WhatsApp data, restoring your chat history can be challenging but is still possible through a few methods. By using Google Drive or iCloud backups created automatically by WhatsApp, you may be able to retrieve your messages even without manual backup.

How to restore WhatsApp chat history if you changed your phone without backing up - in detail?

Restoring WhatsApp chat history after switching phones without a backup can be challenging, but it's not impossible with the right steps. Here’s a detailed guide to help you retrieve your valuable conversations:

1. Verify Your Phone Number: Ensure that your new phone is using the same number that was associated with your WhatsApp account on your old device. This is crucial for WhatsApp to recognize and restore your chat history.
2. Install WhatsApp: Download and install WhatsApp from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store on your new phone. Open the app and follow the initial setup instructions.
3. Verify Your Number in WhatsApp: During the setup process, enter your phone number when prompted. WhatsApp will send a verification code to this number via SMS. Enter the code when you receive it to verify your account.
4. Wait for Chat History Restoration: After verifying your number, WhatsApp will automatically search for backups associated with that number. Since you didn’t manually create a backup before switching phones, WhatsApp will look for any available cloud backups. If there are no manual backups, WhatsApp might not find anything to restore.

5. Check for Local Backups: Sometimes, local backups on your old device can be used if you had enabled automatic backup in the past. To check:

   • Go to File Manager on your old phone (if available).
   • Navigate to WhatsApp > Databases.
   • Look for files named msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.1.db.crypt12 where YYYY is the year, MM is the month, and DD is the day. These are local backup files.

6. Transfer Backup Files: If you find any backup files on your old device:

   • Copy these files to a USB drive or transfer them via email or cloud storage to your new phone.
   • On your new phone, use a file manager to navigate to the WhatsApp > Databases folder and paste the copied backup files there.

7. Restore from Local Backup: Once the backup files are in place on your new phone:

   • Uninstall and then reinstall WhatsApp.
   • Follow the setup process, entering your phone number when prompted.
   • When asked if you want to restore chat history, select "Yes" or "Restore". WhatsApp will use the available local backup files to restore your chats.
8. Contact Support (if necessary): If you’re unable to find any backups and WhatsApp couldn’t restore your chat history, consider reaching out to WhatsApp support for further assistance. They might provide additional options or troubleshooting steps specific to your situation.